Lock



A. CONTE.

Patented Apr. 26. 1921.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ATTILIO CONTE, OF BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA.

LOOK.

Application filed July 16, 1920. Serial No. 396,738.

To all 'whom t 'may concem Be it known that I, A'r'i'iLio Qoii'i'ii, a subject of the Kin of Italy, residing at No. 127 6 Avenida ce Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ,Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in locks and has for its object an 1mproved lock Operating device which operates in combination with a key provided with radial teeth or projections of variable length, of the well known type, said device being caused to rotate by the action of the only key corresponding to the lock, in a manner similar to other known constructions and so as to operate in turn the latch of the lock.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel lock Operating device of absolutely sure and secret working, and inviolable by picklocks o r other similar instruments.

The device substantially consists of a series of strikers mounted within a barrel or cylinder normally locked against rotatlon by a series of latches or pawls which engage with recesses of the cylinder opposite to the strikers, the pawls being released by said strikers when the corresponding key acts on these latter, while, to the contrary, if the lock should be tampered with by a wrong key, the projecting strikers will cause a second projection or hook on the pawls to engage with a groove of the cylinder, and the strikers which have not been sufiiciently raised will hold the first hook of the pawl in engagement. In the forinerl case, if the right key be used, the cylinder will be caused to rotate and will operate the lock, while in the latter case it will reinain locked.

In order that the invention may clearly be understood, an embodiment of the same has been shown by way of example in the accompanying semi-diagrammatic drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a cross sect1on of a lock Operating device in its original or initial position, constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Figs. 3 to 5 are sectional views which represent several stages of the operation of the looking device. Departing from the initial position shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows the key in its second position, with the strkers raised. Fig. illustrates the third position of the parts, in which' the cylinder has rotated and operated the lock; F ig. 5 shows the device in a locked position on account of a wrong key being used.

In all the different views, the same numerals of reference indicate like or corresponding parts.

1 is a metallic cylinder or barrel, rotatably mounted in any suitable manner within the lock, not shown in the drawings. Said cylinder is adapted to transfer its motion to the latch of the lock, either by directly Operating the same or by releasing said part so as to allow of the same being acted upon by another element. These movements may be performed in any .convenient or well known manner, for instance by means of a shaft or handle (not shown) having a squared end which may be fitted in a similarly-shaped hole 2 formed in the cylinder.

3 indicates a seriesof strikers, arranged within a recess of the cylinder l, being pivoted to a common epicyclic axle 4. The

strikers are separated from each other by i means of the washers 5.

In the interior of the cylinder 1, a second concentric cylinder 6 is mounted, provided witli a longitudinal slot 7 into which is inserted the key 8. This latter is ofl the well known type, having radial teeth or projections of the 'same width, equally spaced and of varying length. To each of the strikers, one of saidteeth corresponds, whereby such Striker is forced outward as the key is being turned. The inner cylinder is provided with a i'ecess or cut away part 9, into which enter the strikers in their initial position. When turning the key, the 'teeth slide on the concave profile 10 of the'strik-' ers, thereby pushing the same toward the pe'riphery.

11 indicates a series of pawls, in number equal to that of the strikers and arranged opposite to these latter. Said pawls are mounted to oscillate on a common axle 12, secured in any suitable manner within the lock, being spaced from each other by means of the washers 13. The two arms of said pawls are each provided with a hook. One hook, 14, enters into the recess containing the strikers and bears on these latter under the action of a spring 15, suitably secured to the pawl and bearing on a stop 16. The other arin 17 of the pawl may, when opera-ted, engage in a longitudinal groove 18,

understood. In the initial position shown in Fig. 1, all the pawls enter into the recess containing the strikers, whereby these latter are pushed toward the inner cylinder. When the key is inserted and made to turn a certain amount, as shown in Fig. 8, the teeth of vthe' key will push out the strikers and these latter in turn will push out the pawls.` As the heads of the strikers differ in length one from another, in order to be able to operate the lock, it will be necessary that the corresponding teeth of the key be of such alengththat each of them will carry the respective Striker to the level of the periphery of the outer cylinder or barrel, as clearly shown in Fi'gl. In this case, the pawls will neither engage in the recess of the Striker norpin the groove 18. Atthis moment, on a further turn of the key, the stop 19 Vof the inner cylinder will carry with it the outer one, which in turn will operate the latch of the lock in any suitable manner. i

VIf the key used is not the right one, owing to even one single tooth being different, the respective pawl will either not be lifted enough or too much and will in bothcases always engage with the cylinder, either with the hook 14 or with the hook 17. i

In Fig. 5 acase is illustrated in which the tooth is too long for the corresponding Striker, which is 'caused to protrude from the cylinder and causes the hool'cl'v on the associated pawl to enga-ge with the groove 18.

It will therefore be seen that there is only one instance in which a-key will 'correspond with a combination of strikers, and that such combination may ;be varied infinitely, so that by this arrangement a really reliable and inviolable lock is obtained.

I-Iaving now described my said invention and in which manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

' 1. In locks with keys having radial teeth of variable length a lock Operating device which by means of the key'causes the operation of the lock in any suitable manner, said device substantially consisting of an outer cylinder provided with a series of strikers, an epicyclic axle whereon the strikers are mounted, the heads of said strikers being of variable length, a series of pawls arranged opposite to said strikers and bearing on the same, hooks formed on said pawls and adapted to lock said outer of relatively-movable, concentric inner and outer 'cylinders, the former of which has a key-receiving slot, a series of strikers carried by the outer cylinder and adapted to be moved outward during the rotation of the inner cylinder by the key, a series of pawls normally engaging the outer` cylinder to lock the same against rotation but operable by the strikers, during their outward movement, to release said outer cylinder, and

means on the inner cylinder for transmitting its rotary movement to the outer cylinder after the latter has been Vreleased from said pawls. i

3. In a key-operated lock, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a series of pawls normally engaging said cylinder to lock it aga1nst rotation, and a series of strikers carried by the 'cylinder and adapted to beV moved outward by the key ofthe lock duri ing the turning movement of the key, said strikers being arranged opposite said pawls so as to bear against them during their outward movement and thereby, release the pawls from vthe cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 'V

ATTILIO CONTE. Witnesses i i J. A. J MARVEL, F nLIrE MEBLE. 

